Precontoured locking plate fixation for displaced lateral clavicle fractures

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Traumatology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Displaced lateral clavicle fractures have high nonunion rates with conservative care.
• Surgical treatment is recommended, but a gold standard is lacking.
• Neer type II fractures require effective fixation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess clinical and radiological outcomes of using a precontoured locking compressive distal clavicular plate.
• To evaluate functional recovery and bone union in Neer type II distal clavicle fractures.
• To determine the safety and efficacy of this specific surgical technique.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 35 patients with Neer type II distal clavicle fractures.
• Surgical fixation using a precontoured locking compressive distal clavicular plate.
• Evaluation of functional outcomes (Constant-Murley, UCLA scores), range of motion, bone union time, and coracoclavicular distance.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in functional scores between injured and contralateral shoulders.
• All patients achieved bony union within a mean of 4.1 months.
• No significant change in coracoclavicular distance postoperatively or at follow-up.
• One superficial wound infection; no major complications like nonunion or plate failure.

Conclusions:

• Precontoured locking compressive distal clavicular plate fixation is a viable surgical option for displaced lateral clavicle fractures.
• This method demonstrates good clinical and radiological outcomes.
• It offers an acceptable treatment with a low complication profile.